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[h2][color=ed1c24]Mirai[/color] & [color=f49ac2]Nymphadora[/color][/h2]

~~~

Mirai didn't have to turn around to see what had happened, knowing the moment the words left her mouth what would happen. But more so, she could see it in the eyes of the witch standing before her whose eyes shifted to track the movement. Smiling cruelly, the woman turned slowly around to meet Arden's furious gaze head on. "[color=ed1c24]I'm sorry, did I give you my permission to stand?[/color]" She asked as she took a few steps toward him, giving him a few moments to respond if he so desired. "[color=ed1c24]Did I say anything or gesture in any way that might have indicated my wish for you to rise?[/color]" Mirai continued, closing the distance between them. This time however, she did not allow him a moment to respond before speaking once again, her voice thick with sick glee. "[color=ed1c24]Because I don't quite recall any of that happening either. So why, little worm, is it that I find you standing here glaring at me?[/color]" Quick as lightning, the witch's arm lashed out, her fingers wrapping firmly around the boy's throat applying just enough pressure to make things uncomfortable for him. "[color=ed1c24]You shouldn't allow such an insignificant wench cloud your judgement, after all... Life is such a fragile thing, it can disappear in the blink of an eye.[/color]" She was always amazed at how easy it was to bait the boy by bringing the girl up, however he was just as easily silenced by her as well. A strange, yet amusing concept for the fire witch. 

"[color=ed1c24]Now, seeing as you're so very tired of kneeling I will see to it that you'll do nothing but stand for the next day. Until this time tomorrow you will neither sit nor lie unless I tell you otherwise.[/color]" Mirai's eyes narrowed as she spoke, giving a slight squeeze of her fingers before releasing the boy's neck. "[color=f49ac2]Is your intent to punish him or kill him, because if it is the latter, you're doing a very good job.[/color]" Nymphadora spoke up, face still as emotionless as ever. "[color=ed1c24]He'll be just fine, isn't that right little worm? Think of it like endurance training. I am technically training him as well, but what good is magic if the body can't keep up with the energy required to cast it?[/color]" Nymphadora replied with a sigh, clutching her book to her chest with one arm while her other hand reached up to pinch the bridge of her nose. [color=f49ac2][i]That's a bunch of bull and you know it.[/i][/color]

"[color=ed1c24]Speaking of training... When did [i]you[/i] get here?[/color]" She asked, turning to face the pale girl sitting in the corner as far from them as could be. Mirai remembered meeting her a few times, recalling the moment when Rose took on an apprentice of her own. It was the very one that Rose had departed a little while earlier to retrieve from some unmentioned trouble. When she got back, however, was a mystery as she was oh so silent when she moved. "[color=ed1c24]Rose ought to tie a bell around your ankle. It's creepy when you just pop up out of nowhere.[/color]" She growled, linking her arm around Arden's shoulders to use him to support her weight.

[@Ellion][@Dark Light][@Rune_Alchemist]
[hr]

[h2][color=goldenrod]Marcus[/color][/h2]

~~~

The howling outside drew not only the attention of its master, but each of the other hunters were soon to follow suit. A few stayed behind, but it didn't take long for Abigail to clear the room after reminding them of the exchange rate. Some part of him felt relieved that the danger (or at least the one for now) had finally revealed itself, the other was slightly disappointed in how lackluster it turned out to be. Once the last of the bunch had left the room Marcus set to work wiping down the bar with a rag, a small smile emerging as the older woman asked her question. "[color=goldenrod]I won't lie, every time a new job shows up on the board or one of them tells their stories my heart races a little. And for a brief moment I wonder why I ever stopped...[/color]" He commented, standing up straight to look at the owner with eyes swimming with sorrow. "[color=goldenrod]But those days are behind me Abby, and I intend on keeping it that way. Ultimately, you either end up dead or just wishing you were. Besides, what would you do without me?[/color]" Marcus lightened the heavy mood with a flirtatious wink, his smile wide and quite near genuine as the tavern was filled with the sound of his laughter. 

[h3][color=skyblue]Mia Edition[/color][/h3]

The small fairy sighed heavily, body drooping midair in defeat. With the forest being so large, and the night being so dark, there was no way she was going to find one person. She wasn't even sure there was anyone out there to be finding. Mia turned, nose pointed toward home when she heard a rather loud gasp and cry of alarm.

[color=gold]"Get back! Stay away!"[/color] The voice called out, sounding frightened... and more importantly, in immediate danger. [color=skyblue][i]I knew it. Sorry Marcus, but I can't just leave it be.[/i][/color] She thought to herself and she zoomed off in the direction of the voice. 


[color=gold]"Help!"[/color] It called out again, much louder this time. Mia swerved from around the corner, almost barreling right into a tree as she did so. "[color=skyblue]Just hold on![/color]" She called out in response, buzzing up to the frightened woman to land on her shoulder. Closing her eyes, she raised her hands in front of her directed at the groaning figure. "[color=skyblue]O great guardian of the forest, I beg that you hear me. Please grant me the power to protect this traveler from the evils at work.[/color]" The words she uttered seemed to be a mix between a prayer and a spell, her already glowing form glowing just slightly brighter as she spoke. Returning to normal, the ground around the animated corpse began to glow instead as roots from the nearby tree broke through the surface to ensnare the attacker. 

Wrapping around the man's torso, the root lifted him into the air and away from the woman while a second root shot up from beside him to knock into the base of his jaw. Lowering her hands, the small fairy turned to the woman, her light seemingly dimmer than before. Panting slightly, Mia tried her best to smile warmly. "[color=skyblue]I saw the wrecked carriage on the main road, was that yours? Are you alright?[/color]" She asked, eyes shifting over to the scary looking man who had been gnawing on the woman's ankle just moments before. Sniffing the air, Mia shrieked and fell backward to a sitting position on the woman's shoulder. "[color=skyblue]H-he... But, he's dead. What in the name of Oberon is going on, who would do such a horrible thing?[/color]" There were witches capable of calling on the power of spirits from beyond, but never before had she witness the reanimation of a person's corpse. It was unnatural in every sense of the word and stood against her very being.

[@Whoami]
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[h2][color=a187be]Avalon[/color] & [color=fdc68a]Kyrso[/color][/h2]

~~~

Kyrso cringed at the man's overly dramatic sense of the world, though her couldn't really be one to judge. After all, it was more often than not that he didn't take situations as seriously as others preferred. So long as the weird man kept to himself, Kyrso and him wouldn't have any issues; or so he thought. His attention was briefly stolen by a girl shouting something about having miracle medicine and strength enhancing elixirs. "[color=fdc68a]What is it, a full moon?[/color]" He asked, eyes casting upward for a moment only to shoot back down with a groan. "[color=fdc68a]So it is.[/color]" He mumbled under his breath, taking a moment to hop back several paces to catch his breath. "[color=fdc68a]What do you think you're doing?[/color]" Kyrso asked, lunging forward to immobilize a gnome that had managed to stray past the lines of hunters. Sparing a glance toward his sister, Kyrso had to concentrate on not letting his jaw drop at the bizarre sight before him.

The woman hadn't bothered staying her blade as the masked man made his approach, just as willing to slice him to ribbons as she was any other creature on the battlefield save for her brother. Much to her surprise, and that of her now staring brother, he managed to maneuver around her strikes to stand back to back with her. By the time he reached her, his movements had become synched with hers allowing him to remain unharmed by her weapon. "[color=a187be]One has to be certain of themselves when fighting with a weapon such as this. One misstep and your own life faces more danger than the thing you're up against.[/color]" She replied curtly, shifting her body for another powerful strike. This time, however, the masked man had snatched up one of her hands wielding her momentum in a way that would cause maximum damage with her strike. 

Even as the monsters kept advancing, the man continued talking, all the while maintaining his grasp on her hand. She had to admit he was right, regardless of how much she didn't want to. Avalon wasn't one to trust anyone but her brother in a fight, however there were slight similarities in the way this man thought to her own... without some of the crazier pieces of course, but for now he made sense. There was always a sense of rhythm to an attack, a predictability if it could be called that. One need only play the game long enough to pick up on it. Needless to say, this man was quicker than most. Rather than fighting his grip, she decided to view him as an extension of herself for the time being. Every time he swung her about, her blade was always just barely missing him leaving the pair little room for error; not that either one were worried in the least. Their movements paid off as each was completely confident in their own movements, unconcerned by the movements of their "partner". Scythe and rapier moving in perfect harmony, slashing down any creature that dared approach the bladed twister.

Taking down the last in the immediate area, the man pulled her in to complete his dance that she vaguely recognized as a waltz. For a brief moment the air stood still around them as the creatures hesitated a moment in their attack. 

[color=9e0b0f]"Vat do you say? Zey are playink my favourite musik zee Valtz of Blood. Vould you honour me vis a dance?"[/color] He asked, voice dripping with honey. 

Avalon's eyes were continuously drawn to the man's mask, something about it trapping her there in its terrifying grasp. "[color=a187be]I think you're completely out of your mind.[/color]" She stated, tearing her eyes away to look at the carnage all around them and the quickly approaching group of creatures headed their way. "[color=a187be]However, it's proven useful for this particular situation. Just this once I am inclined to accept.[/color]" Avalon responded, grimacing with distaste as an explosion was set off nearby. While the man seemed to enjoy it, she thought it to be a nuisance. Fire was such a hard element to control, burning all in its path indiscriminately. Not to mention the vector used to distribute such an element had the high potential of being a distraction to the other hunters.... And that was something that was never good. Somewhere off to the side she could hear her brother expressing his thoughts on the very subject, leaving her free to focus on the battle at hand. "[color=a187be]Shall we?[/color]" She asked, popping the vertebrae in her neck in preparation. 

Meanwhile, back on Kyrso's side of the field, the poor boy was staring on as fire erupted further out amongst the creatures. "[color=fdc68a]Are you crazy? That could hit one of us![/color]" He griped, though it was doubtful he could be heard from so far away. Kyrso's attention was quickly stolen away as yet another woman... Or girl was more like it, popped up behind him. "[color=fdc68a]Oh, you have got to be kidding me. What are you, like, 12? Go home before you get yourself hurt little missy.[/color]" He asked, only glancing at her out of the corner of his eye as he defended against another pair of gnomes. Kyrso was noticing a slight increase of creatures able to breakthrough, not a good sign at all. It meant up ahead the others were starting to wear out. It was no wonder, the creepy bastards kept popping up out of nowhere. "[color=fdc68a]Listen you two... If you're going to stick around, you need to stop shouting. You'll draw the attention of the ugly things doing the attacking.[/color]" He warned, raising his weapon and bring it down once again, adding another snarling body to a pile before him.

[@Ellion][@13org][@Deos Morran][@shagranoz][@Rune_Alchemist][@Bright_Ops][@Anyone in the immediate area of the Seren's Folly battle]
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